


Meeting with the Grimbarth

by PoisonousTouch



Series: Evelyne's Saga [3]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Airships, Fantasy, Goblins, High Fantasy, mermaid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:13:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26015566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PoisonousTouch/pseuds/PoisonousTouch
Summary: After a few days of devising, Evelyne still doesn't know how to get her hands on the key to her father's office. And with her family invited by the Grimbarth to spend some time at Narka, her plans will have to wait for a while. And at least, she'll be able to see her mermaid friend again...
Series: Evelyne's Saga [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1740829
Kudos: 3





	Meeting with the Grimbarth

A few days had passed since the party at Swansong. During that time, Evelyne had been plotting, devising plans to find a way to access her father's office and learn what secrets it could hold. So far, nothing seemed satisfying. The goblin knew it wouldn't be an easy task, but with so little at her disposal... It would be quicker to find a way to defeat a dragon all by herself than to get her hands on that damn key. She couldn't pickpocket it off her father, she couldn't wait for him to go to sleep and try her luck... Hell, she couldn't even try putting sleeping powder in his drink !

Unfortunately for the small noble, even if she found a way to enter the room, it would have to wait for a few days. Today, house Valentia was going back to Narka. They had been invited by the Grimbarth family to come for a few days, knowing how pleasant the coastal city was during the month of Emris. Evelyne knew it would have been improper to decline, especially since their families had made business agreements earlier in the month. But she guessed the invitation wasn't sent with the idea being that it would just be a leisure trip.

Evelyne slowly opened her eyes, waking up as she heard someone knocking on her door. « -Miss Evelyne ? Are you awake ? » called a feminine voice from outside the goblin's bedroom. The small noble recognized the voice of one of the mansion's maids, coming to wake her up.

The goblin didn't reply right away. She was still trying to escape the sweet embrace of her dreams, besides the fact that the servant could wait. Evelyne stretched a bit, sitting up in her comfortable bed. Her eyes turned toward the windows. The thick curtains still plunged the room in a relative darkness.

Another knock on the door drew the small noble's attention back. « -Miss Evelyne ? » the maid called again. It seemed she was getting a bit impatient. But she wasn't really to blame, Evelyne guessed Zephirin ordered her to get his daughter, and make sure she'd be ready when it would be time to leave. And the servants didn't like to keep the old man waiting.

Evelyne turned her head toward the door, as her eyes adapted to the relative obscurity. « -I am awake. » finally replied the goblin, pushing her blanket away slightly. « Please, come in. »

Hearing the invitation, the maid gently opened the intricate wooden door and entered Evelyne's room. The small noble recognized her. It was Hilde, a human woman with black hair, wearing the traditional black and white outfit worn by the maids of Swiftrive. Not someone particularly memorable, but Evelyne thought it a duty to remember the name of all the servants of house Valentia.

Once she closed the door behind her, Hilde made a curtsy to the goblin, wanting to salute her properly. « -Good morning, miss. I hope you had a restful night. » politely said the woman.

« -Greetings, Hilde. » responded Evelyne, rubbing her eyes. « It is quite uncommon to hear you knocking on my door so early. Is my father awaiting me ? »

« -Pardon the inconvenience, miss. » nodded the maid, as she headed toward the windows. « And no, master Zephirin is still getting dressed. He wanted to make sure you'd join him in the dining room for breakfast. »

Hilde stopped in front of the curtains, opening them wide. The summer sun was shining in a sky unobscured by a single cloud, revealing some of the largest creatures flying above the world, usually hiding between the clouds. The sudden brightness had Evelyne shielding her eyes, needing to adjust to the new light level.

The maid would then do the same with the two other windows, illuminating the goblin's room in its entirety. It was quite large, especially for someone as small as Evelyne. Just like the rest of Swansong, the small noble's room was richly decorated with intricately-carved wooden furniture.

Her canopy bed, so big the goblin could get lost in it, rested against the right wall, with an end table on each side. To her left was a large closet, filled with most of her refined outfits, as well as her pairs of shoes. To her right, next to the bed, was a door to a private bathroom. On the other side of the room was her desk, which seemed a bit too tall for her owner. And finally, in the corner left of the desk were a few bookcases and a comfortable, elegant armchair, next to which stood the small noble's violin. It was Evelyne's little sanctuary, where she could just enjoy herself quietly, sometimes looking through the large windows to look at the gardens in the back of the mansion with a sugary dessert.

Evelyne pushed the rest her blanket away, now better accommodated to the light. The small noble moved to her side, getting out of the way oversized bed, past the canopy's drape. It was way too big for her, but with how comfortable it was, the goblin would most definitely not complain about her bedding.

Hilde opened one of the three windows, letting some air in before walking up to her mistress, ready to serve. « -Do you want me to prepare your outfit for today, miss ? » asked the woman, looking down at Evelyne.

« -I would deeply appreciate that. » the goblin answered. She walked around her bed to head toward the bathroom door. « Would you be so kind as to take my carmine dress out of the closet ? »

« -The carmine dress... Your favourite one ? » asked the maid.

« -My favourite one, indeed. » confirmed Evelyne with a quick nod.

Hilde nodded back. « -Understood. » she politely replied, before heading toward the small noble's closet and opening it to start looking through. « Shall I also get your court shoes ? »

Evelyne stopped in front of the door, pondering about the question for a moment. « -... Please, do. They tend to compliment this dress quite well. » she ended up saying. The goblin liked those, be it for their looks as well as for how comfortable they were to wear.

And with that last response, Evelyne would walk into her bathroom, leaving Hilde to take care of making the bed and getting her clothes. The small noble knew she'd have to be relatively quick. She took off her night gown, and headed toward the triangular bathtub on the opposite side of the room.

As she approached, the sapphire eyes of the decorative swan head above the tub shone lightly, before water came out of it. Slowly filling it with warm water. The goblin looked at the water rising for a moment, before walking up to a small dresser to the side.

Evelyne looked through one of its drawers, filled with bath salts and oils. The small noble stared at the bottles for a moment... Before closing the dresser back up, fully aware that she didn't really have the time for one of those. Perhaps another time.

A few moments later, the bathtub was filled, and the water stopped coming out of the swan head. Without further ado, Evelyne stepped in, sitting down to enjoy the water on her body. Perhaps this trip to Narka would inspire her to find a plan to get her hands on her father's key...

But even if she didn't find a plan, Evelyne was excited by the prospect of seeing that odd mermaid, Zofia, again. She had been such great company, and the small noble couldn't wait to see her. With that nice thought, the goblin grabbed a bar of soap and started cleaning herself up. The faster she'd be ready, the faster she'd get to see her friend.

After having taken her bath, Evelyne would put on her favourite dress, before joining her father in the dining room for a quick breakfast. The rest of the morning would go just as fast, as the servants loaded the stagecoach with their luggages, before they would finally depart.

The carriage would lead them to the aerodrome of Swiftrive, just as it did when house Valentia went to the Orschen son's birthday. Evelyne stepped out of the stagecoach, looking up to the top of the building. A large tower with big openings around the upper part, with bridges extending outward into the air, like an odd-looking dock. And at the end of one of these platforms stood a boat, floating in the air. The vehicle that would lead them to Narka.

Airships were a relatively new way of traveling, in Varendel. Wonders of technology and magic, the imposing vessels were able to fly above land, able to reach other cities way quicker than most transports were able to. They didn't need to land, their technomagical motors allowing for them to stay in the air without ever needing to get to the ground.

Only a few cities had built the towers necessary to allow for an airship to stabilize in the air and allow its passengers to get off. The noble council of Swiftrive had decided to allow the construction of this one, towering on the north bank of the Shinestream River, close to the fortifications surrounding the city.

Evelyne smiled, as she looked at the ship waiting for them. It was quite rare that house Valentia traveled via airship, but... When it happened, the goblin absolutely adored it. Those flights above Varendel, the breathtaking view of the land from the skies, the sheer beauty of these vessels... This one seemed to be a new model, too. The most recent airships had abandoned the Eoltian balloons in favour of more traditional sails. They were faster, smaller and more elegant. Sure, they were also frailer, but... Those were Evelyne's favourite.

Once her father got off the stagecoach in turn, it was only a matter of time before the Valentias went in and climbed the stairs to the top of the aerodrome. Evelyne walked up the air dock and took place in the ship. Now, they just had to wait for their luggages to be loaded onto the vessel and they would be heading north to Narka.

While the servants got to work, the small noble decided to look at Swiftrive from above. It was always such a wonderful sight... The urban landscape was a pleasure to the eye, and something Evelyne took some time to admire before every trip through the skies.

Noticing his daughter, Zephirin approached, leaning against the railing to look in turn at the city. « -It is always quite an impressive view from here, isn't it, dear ? » said the old man.

The goblin looked up at him for a second. It was relatively rare that her father came to her like this, and surprise could be read on her face... But soon enough, her eyes were back on the city below. « -It is, indeed, father. » nodded Evelyne. Remembering their last trip to Narka, a question popped in the small noble's head. Curious, she turned her head back to Zephirin to ask him. « Do you know if we will be heading straight to Narka, this time around ? »

During their last trip, the aerodrome of the coastal city was closed for a few days, as it had been infested by gorgers. Fist-sized, bloated mosquitoes which lived in hives and could easily infest a whole district if not taken care of quickly. Narka always had issues with those bugs during the summer, and it wasn't rare that entire districts of the city ended up quarantined while the gorgers were taken care of.

Zephirin nodded. « -Indeed, we will. The gorger infestation has been taken care of and this time, we won't stop at Feldsport to take a stagecoach there. I just hope the journey will be quick... »

Evelyne held back a chuckle, smiling faintly. Her father could barely stomach traveling via airship. He had always felt sick in the air, and he often told the goblin that the one reason he didn't join the roc riders of the Swiftrivan military was because of this. Evelyne might have believed that story when she was a kid, but now, she was certain it was not the only reason why. « -Fortunately, it will be, father. » replied the goblin.

« -Fortunately, it will be. » repeated Zephirin. He would have preferred to travel by land, or even by sea. But between a journey of a few days with the risk of getting ambushed or attacked by monsters and a few hours of air sickness, the old man made his mind quickly.

After a few more minutes of waiting, the airship was finally ready to take off. The bridge to the platform was removed, and soon enough the flying boat started to float away from the tower and into the sky.

A small table had been set on the ship's deck in order to give a place to sit to its passengers. Evelyne took place, before looking around. To no surprise, her father had already ran inside the ship's cabin to not feel ill while observing the moving landscape. Leaving the goblin all on her own.

Oh well, she wouldn't complain about it. The small noble could enjoy some calm and solitude during her trip. And for once, she... Wasn't in as bad a mood as she usually was when house Valentia traveled. It was quite enjoyable, being able to just sit down and relax while enjoying the view. Especially with something to be looking forward to, once they would get to their destination.

The hours passed, and as the sun sets on the horizon, Evelyne looked at the land below. They flew past the Feather Grove a few hours earlier, through the ethereal winds of pure light of the area before reaching the coast. And now, the ship was approaching the city of Narka from the skies.

From there, the small noble noticed that a few districts of the city were quarantined. It seemed as though the gorger infestations were more troublesome than usual, this year... Evelyne was a bit concerned. She hoped it wasn't bad enough that it would prevent her from seeing Zofia...

The sound of steps behind her made the goblin's ears twitch, before looking toward the noise. Her father was walking toward her, visibly sick from the journey. Evelyne had no doubt that he must have puked at some point, but couldn't help but wonder what he was doing out of the cabin.

Zephirin gulped, as he arrived in front of his daughter. « -Hm... Is Narka getting close... Dear ? » he asked her, obviously nauseous.

« -I think we should arrive shortly, father... Are you really feeling well enough to be here ? You seem a bit... Ill, to me. » replied the goblin. Her father wasn't all that young, and she was always concerned when she saw him in such a state.

« -Heh... Do not fret about it. I should be feeling good enough for the rest of the travel... » said the old man. He looked over the railing, to the coastal city getting closer. « Besides, I needed some fresh air... »

« -Very well. » sighed Evelyne, as an idea crossed her mind. Her father was currently feeling so weak... It could have been the perfect opportunity to try and get the key to his office off him. But the small noble quickly dismissed that idea. In the current situation, even if she got the key, what use would it be ? They would be spending the next two weeks in Narka. In no world would Zephirin not notice that his key was missing. She would need to be more creative...

A few seconds of silence passed, as the patriarch kept looking at the city below, noticing that quite a few districts seemed empty. Some of the streets leading to these areas were barricaded, likely to ensure a complete quarantine. « -It seems the Orschens are... Having some trouble getting rid of those pesky bugs, once more... » observed Zephirin.

« -It looks like the infestations have been quite bad for Narka, this year... » responded Evelyne. The state of the coastal city spoke to the goblin as to the Orschen's inability to lead their city. Warriors could make for great regents, sure. But not the Orschens.

« -Speaking of which... » the old man said, with a sterner tone. « Have you sent that letter to the Orschen, to apologize for what happened during Maximilien's birthday ? »

Evelyne had almost forgotten about that story. She had promised she would write a letter, indeed... But she never got to it. And truth be told, she wouldn't apologize for what happened on that day. « -I have. It was sent a few days after our return to Swansong, father. » lied the goblin. Even if she did send the letter, would house Orschen even have cared ? For some reason, the small noble doubted it.

« -Good. I am glad to know that... Hm... This issue has been resolved. » replied her father. Evelyne knew he wouldn't look further into it. He never did. Besides, letter or not, the nobility of Varendel would still think the goblin tried to poison a child. And they would still be comforted in their views of her being nothing but vermin in a pretty dress.

Zephirin suddenly retched, clearly close to vomiting. Startled, Evelyne moved back, hoping she wouldn't get splashed if the old man were to actually puke. « -Father, perhaps you should head back inside the cabin until our landing... Did you not take the potion I gifted you for this journey ? » asked the goblin.

« -Hmf... I told you, Evelyne... I do not need alchemy or artifices... For this... » Zephirin replied with difficulty.

« -But father, it could have made this- »

« -I said. I do not need this. Evelyne. » The old man said with a stern, cutting tone. The one he employed when the conversation was over, and he didn't want to hear more from his daughter.

The goblin rolled her eyes, frustrated. « -Very well, father. » How stubborn could this man be ? Evelyne had gotten her hands on a mixture that could make his air sickness more manageable for the duration of their journey. But it was his choice, not to use the wonders of magic and alchemy to have a pleasant journey. And no one could change Zephirin de Valentia's mind. At least, the landing would happen soon...

The ship stabilized next to the aerodrome's tower, taking position next to the bridge. The motor clicked audibly from under the hull and a second later, the vessel stopped moving entirely, as if it was resting on the ground. A relief for Zephirin, who soon walked off the ship to get on the platform with his daughter.

Outside the building, a stagecoach was waiting for the Valentias. It only took a moment for the servants of house Grimbarth to load the two's luggages onto the vehicle and shortly after, Evelyne and Zephirin were on their way to the Grimbarth mansion. The afternoon was getting to its end, but it didn't stop the labyrinthic streets of Narka to remain bubbling with activity. Perhaps a bit more crowded as usual, due to the numerous districts inaccessible because of the gorgers.

After a short trip through the coastal city, the carriage stopped. Looking through the window of the stagecoach, Evelyne saw that they had finally arrived at their destination, next to a set of stairs leading to a street below. The residence of house Grimbarth.

The mansion had been built in the western part of Narka, not too far away from the port and the diverse holdings owned by the Grimbarth family. Unlike Swansong, the domain didn't possess large gardens surrounding the building itself. The way the coastal city was built around the hill and cliffs made it difficult for its wealthy citizens to arrange very large parcels inside the Narkan walls.

But it didn't make the residence any less impressive. Standing out from the buildings around it with its wide balconies, the limestone facade was dotted with numerous large windows. The mansion's eastern side towered above the adjacent street below, and allowed the Grimbarth to enjoy an impressive view of the lower parts of Narka, down to the port and to the endless sea.

Evelyne and her father stepped out of the stagecoach, and were greeted at the gate by servants. One of them, an elven man wearing round glasses, accompanied the Valentias through the small front garden, up to the mansion's door while the others started unloading the guests's luggages.

« -You've been announced as soon as we saw the airship land. » the elf informed the two, stopping in front of the entrance to open the door for them. « Mister Grimbarth is waiting for you. I hope your stay will be pleasant. »

Zephirin seemed surprised. Being announced so early ? It was quite uncommon. « -Ho ho, already ? My, what an efficient staff... My compliments. » the old man said, before entering.

« -Thank you, sir. » replied the servant, as Evelyne went in as well. The entrance hall of the mansion was quite a sight. Decorated with great taste, the floor was tiled white and blue, and on both extremities of the room, waterfalls were flowing in basins that ran under the ground, filling the hall with cool water mist, quite relieving from the outside heat. The pools underneath were visible through glass lining running in an hexagonal pattern between the tiles. On the walls on the opposite side of the entrance door were hanging paintings of the sea and some of the most majestic creatures lurking underneath the surface, circling the door that lead to the rest of the residence.

The extravagance of the decor was awe-inspiring, to Evelyne. The hall had been made to wow the Grimbarth visitors, and the soft sound of water flowing coupled to the rough scent of the mist was an experience all on its own. Comparatively, the hall of Swansong was luxurious of course, but clearly not as memorable as this place.

The elven servant soon joined the two, as they looked around the entrance hall. « -Mister Grimbarth is in the great hall. Please, follow me. » he informed them, as he started walking toward the other side of the room.

The Valentias followed the elf through the mansion, and would be led to the great hall. And just like the entrance, it was quite a sight. Larger than it was long, the first thing Evelyne noticed was the large fish tank to the left of the room. It was filled with fishes of all shapes and colours and the substrate was of sand, dotted with rocks and corals. It was as if the Grimbarth had taken a fragment of the ocean floor to expose it in their home.

When she looked to the right, the goblin then saw a few tables and sofas disposed around a large carpet, as well as a few oddities put on display here and there. The Grimbarth patriarch really enjoyed collecting curiosities from all the places his boats sailed. A diverse collection of trinkets coming from all horizons, from the sands of the desert Scaelan to the Moon Bay of Okoku.

The Grimbarth family was gathered around the large fireplace, at the end of the room. The hearth was lit, although not with flames of red and orange hue, but rather white and blue. The magical fire wasn't heating up the great hall, it was actually the opposite. The more it roared, the cooler the place seemed to be. A welcome feeling, with the heat outside.

Benjamin Grimbarth, the patriarch of the household, was sitting by the blue fireside in a regal armchair. A man of approximatively half a century, with brown hair and a thick, well-trimmed beard. Next to his chair were two young men, and it looked as if his wife was absent for the evening. As Zephirin and his daughter approached, the man smiled and got up, walking up to them.

« -Good evening, Zephirin ! » said the man, extending his hand to Evelyne's father. The goblin was a bit surprised as to the familiarity, with Benjamin greeting the Valentia patriarch like an old friend. As far as she was aware, they barely knew each other... « I'm glad to see you and your daughter have made it to Narka safely ! Was the journey not too difficult ? »

« -Greetings, Benjamin. » replied Zephirin, shaking the other man's hand. « Fortunately, it wasn't too long. I tend to get... Really sick, when traveling through the air. »

« -Really ? » Benjamin asked with a surprised tone. « Why don't you use some sort of medicine or enchanted trinket, then ? It could work to your advantage... »

« -Thank you for the advice, Benjamin. But I'd rather avoid using artifices like those. You never know what some of these concoctions could do... » Evelyne rolled her eyes at what her father said. He was just too stubborn to actually give other people's solution a try. As long as he wouldn't decide to give any potion a go by himself, no one could convince him of doing so.

« -Well... What a pity. » shrugged the Grimbarth patriarch. The goblin noticed that he, too, seemed to think this was a stupid reason. At least, she wasn't the only one. « At least, you're not aboard that airship anymore ! But where are my manners, let me introduce you to my sons, Gabriel and Lucian... »

Benjamin raised his hand toward the two young men, standing next to their father's armchair. The Grimbarth twins. Evelyne had heard a few things about them, but didn't know all that much about the two.

« -This is Gabriel. » said the Grimbarth patriarch, gesturing to the man on the left. His son made a step toward the two guests, before saluting them and shaking Zephirin's hand in turn.

« -Good evening, mister. » he soberly greeted. Gabriel was the « oldest » of the two, so to speak. The young man had long brown hair tied back with a black ribbon and green eyes. He was wearing a fancy black doublet with cufflinks. From the arcane symbol on his sleeves, Evelyne could guess it was enchanted to make sure Gabriel wouldn't suffer from the heat. An austere expression completed his outfit.

Benjamin then gestured to his second son. « -And this is Lucian. » The young man approached in turn, a cocky smile on his face. He was wearing a leather jerkin over a white button-up shirt, as well as a deep blue cloak tied with a metallic fibula in the shape of a rune in a circle. At his belt were a few pouches, as well as a small mace with arcane inscriptions on its head.

But the most noticeable thing about Lucian was his hair. Going down to his scapula, with the appearance of flames licking his shoulders. Evelyne knew that this kind of thing could happen naturally, for magically gifted individuals and some mages whose physical appearance changed as the side effect of some powerful spells. But her family dealed enough with cosmetics for the goblin to recognize it wasn't the case for Lucian. Magical dye, mostly used to complete a ceremonial outfit or for some extravagant attires during parties. But in every day life ? Those were rarely used. The aura of the dye itself could get very unpleasant, after a while.

The younger twin waved at the Valentias in turn. « -Pleased to meet you, mister ! » said Lucian, walking up to the guests before extending his hand to Zephirin.

« -Pleased to meet you as well. » the old man replied as he shook Lucian's hand. « I have heard many things about the two of you. I am Zephirin de Valentia. » The Valentia patriarch let go of the younger twin's hand, before gesturing toward his own daughter. « And this is my daughter, Evelyne. »

With her name mentioned, Evelyne grabbed the hem of her dress, and did a polite curtsy. « -Greetings. It's a pleasure to meet all of you. » would salute the small noble. The younger twin stared at her for a second, with an odd look on his face.

« -Ah... So, she really is a goblin... » commented Lucian with a pinch of disgust in his voice. Vexed, Evelyne looked up at the young man with a frown. It wasn't uncommon for people to address her with such a tone, but... Rarely were people so impolite they would show her such contempt during greetings and introductions. Proper individuals didn't do that, especially not to a guest, of all things !

Benjamin coughed uncomfortably, as he turned to his son. « -Lucian... This is no way to greet our guests. Is this how we taught you ? » Regardless of the Grimbarth patriarch's opinion on the small noble's race, he couldn't deny how improper his son was, especially to the daughter of his new business partner.

« -What ? » retorted the flame-haired twin, outraged. « I didn't say anything ! I was just saying that she's a goblin ! »

« -How observant... » coldly commented Evelyne.

« -I mean, it's not MY fault she's a goblin ! » Lucian raised his voice, getting frustrated. « How could I guess that the Valentia daughter was actually a dis- »

« -I think you've talked enough for tonight, brother. » Gabriel cut off his younger twin, with barely hidden, cold anger in his voice. He grabbed Lucian's shoulder, and started pushing his brother outside of the hall.

Not appreciating the gesture, the young man would be quick to protest. « -Hey ! Gabriel, what are you doing ?! Let me go ! Or I'll curse you in your sleep ! » Lucian would try and struggle himself free. To no avail.

« -I'm sure you will, Lucian... I'm sure you will. » replied Gabriel with utter contempt. Soon enough, the two would disappear through a door leading to a nearby corridor.

Benjamin sighed, as he watched his sons disappear further into the mansion. « -Well... Accept my sincerest apologies for my son's comportment. » said the man, as he turned back to the Valentias with a tired look on his face. « Lucian has had a problematic behaviour, recently. I hope he didn't offend you... »

Evelyne opened her mouth, wanting to voice her discontent. But before she could say anything, her father decided to answer for her. « -Oh, do not worry. I think you're aware as to Evelyne's... Troublesome comportment as well. As you probably remember Maximilien Orschen's birthday celebration. »

The goblin rolled her eyes. It wasn't her fault. But Zephirin just didn't care... Frustrated but unwilling to argue, Evelyne crossed her arms and looked away.

« -... Nevertheless, I hope you'll still enjoy your stay at our humble abode. » replied Benjamin, trying to move away from that subject. « Even with the gorger infestations, I'm sure your time in Narka will be pleasant. »

« -Speaking of which... » Zephirin remarked. « With all those pesky bugs in the city, is the Leviathan festival still going to take place ? »

The Grimbarth patriarch chuckled at the question. « -Don't worry, it hasn't been cancelled... As far as I'm aware, at least. »

The Leviathan festival... Evelyne knew this was a popular celebration of Narka, during which the inhabitants of the coastal city observed the journey of sea monsters, far in the ocean. But the goblin had never seen these creatures herself, completely ignorant of what they looked like.

The only thing she truly knew about these beasts was that they were the children of Lerevodran, the draconic patron of the seas. And that they took the summer away with their departure.

« -The infestations are pretty much contained for now, and thus our dear Orschen friends judge the city safe enough for the celebration. » continued Benjamin.

« -Well, you see me happy to hear this. » Zephirin nodded. « Would you kindly tell me when will the festival take place ? »

« -It shall take place next week. » replied the other man. « For the occasion, house Grimbarth is preparing a small party on the docks. From there, we should have a perfect view of the passing leviathans. Will we have the pleasure of seeing you there ? »

A party. Of course. Evelyne sighed mentally, not liking the prospect of going to one of Narka's docks for a party. Especially when she didn't know who else would be invited. It just felt like the perfect recipe for disaster.

« -Oh, be certain that we will join you. It would be ill-mannered not to accept an invitation to one of our host's party. » confirmed the Valentia patriarch with a nod.

Benjamin smiled at that response. « -Well, I'm sure this party will be memorable, then ! Now, if you don't mind, I'll ask you to come with me. I feel like you'd enjoy a small tour around the mansion... »

On these words, the Grimbarth patriarch turned around, and walked toward a corridor next to the fireplace. Zephirin and Evelyne quickly followed him in silence. It was already pretty late in the afternoon, and the goblin guessed she would probably not see her mermaid friend just yet... Oh well. For now, knowing her way around the Grimbarth residence would be a good start. And fortunately, she would be able to meet Zofia the following day.

The next day, Evelyne would wake up early in the morning. She took a quick bath and dressed up in a dark blue dress, making herself presentable to meet with her mermaid friend. After breakfast, the goblin asked her father and her host if she could borrow the Grimbarth stagecoach, in order to be led to the Orschen residence. The small noble explained that she felt like a simple letter was not enough for what had happened at the beginning of the month, and that she wanted to apologies in person.

With such an honourable reason, it was difficult for Zephirin to not allow his daughter to go. And once Benjamin had agreed as well, Evelyne headed out, took place in the carriage and then, it was only a matter of time for her to arrive at her destination. In truth, she wasn't planning on entering the Orschen fortress at all. But her father didn't need to know that.

The sun was shining bright in a cloudless sky, engulfing the coastal city in its warm embrace. It was still relatively early, but the small noble could tell that it was going to be a hot day.

It took Evelyne longer than she expected to get to the other side of Narka. The labyrinthic streets coupled to the quarantined districts made it quite difficult to navigate through the city, especially as its inhabitants started filling the streets.

Once she finally arrived in front of the gates leading to the Orschen fortress, Evelyne didn't even approach the entrance to the residence. Instead, she headed left of it, knowing of another path to the beach below. And from there, the goblin just had to follow the coast to find the creek where she first met Zofia.

The small noble's eyes wandered to the sea as she walked to her destination. The sound of the waves gently rolling on the sand, the scent of the salty breeze, the reflection of the sun on the water... The sight of nature was always quite pleasant to Evelyne. She took a deep breath, taking in the marine air as a smile appeared on her face.

After some time, the goblin would recognize the rocks around her as the ones she saw the first time she found the creek. She was getting close. Excited at the thought of seeing the mermaid again, Evelyne grabbed the hem of her dress and ran through the boulders. With how nice the weather was, Zofia would surely be around !

And there she arrived. In that haven of tranquility she had discovered after that disastrous party at the Orschen residence, the creek where she had met Zofia. Evelyne stopped in front of the water, catching her breath for a second before looking for her friend.

First, the small noble eyed around the creek. The mermaid didn't seem to be here... Perhaps in the water, then ? Evelyne approached from the edge and looked into the shallow depths. No Zofia there either...

The goblin wondered as to where her friend could be. She was certain she'd find her here, before simply remembering that... Zofia didn't actually live in that creek. She had come here only to enjoy the sun in the first place, and her encounter with Evelyne was pretty much accidental. Since they had no way to communicate, there was no real way for them to truly know when they'd see each other. In her excitation, Evelyne had forgotten this small detail...

The small noble sighed... And actually chuckled at the situation, thinking back on it. She couldn't really expect Zofia to just be waiting for her in this place, as nice as it was. Oh well. Evelyne shrugged, before approaching from the edge of the rocks. She took off her shoes and her socks, and decided to dip her feet in the water for a while.

Her friend being here or not, this small area was still a very pleasant place. The waves, the sun, the warm water... And more importantly, not a soul in sight. In the distance, Evelyne heard the squawk of a flight of seagulls.

The small noble spent some time like this just enjoying herself, taking in the rays of the sun. Evelyne was so relaxed, she decided to lay down on the rocks for a while, keeping cool with her feet in the water.

It was all so nice, the goblin just enjoying the sounds of the sea while bathing in the warm sunbeams. Perhaps she would even find some inspiration as to how to get her father's key. Evelyne closed her eyes for a minute. She could just fall asleep right here and there...

But the small noble quickly opened her eyes again, when she felt something brushing against her feet. Startled, Evelyne jumped back and sat up, hugging her knees. The goblin stood there for a second. What was that ? Fishes didn't really approach her, until then... Was something lurking below the surface ?

Before she could approach to check, a shape emerged from the creek, bursting out of the water with a scream. Evelyne squeaked as she backed away from the edge, falling to panic. But the small noble quickly calmed down when she heard a feminine laughter as the creature became more apparent. And it was none other than Zofia herself.

The mermaid leaned onto the rocks, as she kept giggling while observing Evelyne. « -Hahaha... You should have seen the face you made ! » she said with a smile on her face.

The small noble blinked a few times, remaining silent. At this point, actually seeing Zofia here was not what she expected... And even less so to be scared by the mermaid. Evelyne frowned at the laughing woman. « -That was... Quite uncalled for... » commented the goblin with a pout. Making the mermaid chuckle again.

« -Awww, come on ! It was funny ! » replied Zofia. The woman climbed on the rocks, sitting on the edge with her tail still dipping in the water. « Glad to see you again ! It's been a while... Evelyne, right ? How have you been ? »

Evelyne didn't answer right away. She seemed a bit irritated from the scare she had. « -I have been doing fairly well, thank you... But I would deeply appreciate if you could refrain from doing this again. »

Zofia rolled her eyes. « -Fine, fine ! » she giggled. « But come on, get closer ! I'm not gonna bite my favourite goblin ! I swear ! » The mermaid patted the rocks next to her, inviting the goblin to join her. Evelyne squinted. She could tell from Zofia's malicious smile that she would definitely do it again.

But truth be told, the small noble didn't know if she really minded all that much. Quickly enough, Evelyne moved toward the edge, dipping her feet in the water next to her friend. « -Please, refrain from doing so as well... » replied the goblin, chuckling in turn. It was difficult to stay mad at Zofia for long.

« -I swore not to, so I won't eat you today ! » joked the woman with a grin. « So, what are you doing here ? Are you back to Narka for a while ? »

« -We are, indeed. » Evelyne nodded. « We have been invited by house Grimbarth to stay for a few days. I'm glad to see that you are still around, because I do not think I could stand our host's second son for two weeks... »

« -Is he that bad ? » asked the mermaid, intrigued.

« -He insulted me almost as quickly as he saw me... I'll let you be the judge of that. » the small noble replied.

« -Wow... Ruuuuude... So, you weren't kidding when you said no one likes goblins ? »

« -I was not. » sighed Evelyne. « But enough about this... How about you ? What have you been up to, since the last time we saw each other ? »

« -Oooooh, so much stuff ! » exclaimed the mermaid. « There's been that cool reef I've found, but that I cannot really show you because it's a bit far and you can't breathe underwater... Oh, and one of my friends became a mother ! Her daughter is so cuuuuuute, you have no idea ! Oh and also, according to the shoalers, the leviathans should pass not toooo too far from here in a few days, from what they've read in the waves ! No idea how they do that, but the leviathans's passage is absoooooolutely fantastic to watch ! I'll have to show you and all ! You're here for a while, right ? Also, there's been... »

« -My, my... Would you mind slowing down just a little bit ? » laughed the goblin. Zofia seemed quite excited to tell her about everything that was on her mind. But for Evelyne, she was going just a bit too fast. In only a few sentences, she had mentioned three different topics. It was... Quite nice, to have someone so eager to talk with her, for sure. But the mermaid was still getting lost in what she wanted to say.

« -Oh... Yeah, sorry ! » Zofia laughed back. « There's just soooooo much stuff I wanna tell you, I just don't know where to start... Hmmm... Should we start with the reef ? No, rather with the leviathans ! Have you ever seen them passing by ? »

« -Unfortunately... I have not... » admitted Evelyne. « In truth, I have never even seen one of those creatures. Can you tell me about them ? »

« -Whaaaaat ? You don't know what they look like ? » the mermaid questioned with a surprised face. Hearing that, she knew she had to explain what they were to her friend. « I NEED to tell you about them, then ! The leviathans are big sea serpents... But like, really, reaaaaaally big. So huge, they can easily swallow the boats bipedals use to travel across the sea ! »

« -Swallow entire ships... ? » The small noble just couldn't believe her ears. She knew that some titanic monsters existed, in this world. Be it in Varendel or in far away, uncharted lands, but... Evelyne always thought their size was exaggerated. « Surely, that can't be possible... »

« -Except it is, silly ! » chuckled Zofia. « Trust me. They're reaaaaaaally big. And I saw it happen, a few years ago ! It was... Woah. I've also approached one of them, before ! Their scales are pretty nice to the touch ! »

« -You have ?! » The goblin was simply bedazzled by what she heard. « But... Wouldn't such mighty beasts try to devour you... ? »

Zofia rolled her eyes. « -Evelyne, they're so big, I'm pretty much inexistent to them ! Why would they bother trying to eat me ? I'm sure they've got bigger preys, somewhere in the depths ! Besides, I don't really know if I'm that tasty... »

Evelyne remained silent, looking at the water. She knew about a fairly good range of creatures roaming the wilds surrounding the cities and villages of Varendel, but... She knew almost nothing as to what lurked beneath the water. How did the merfolks deal with those threats ?

Oh well. She would probably never see it with her own eyes. The small noble sighed at this thought, as she turned back to Zofia. The mermaid seemed to have gotten curious as to what she tasted like, as she had started nibbling on her forearm.

Evelyne stared at her friend for a few seconds, a puzzled look on her face. She then exploded in laughter. This was definitely not the kind of spectacle she was expecting to see. « -What... Are you doing, Zofia ? » asked the goblin with a wide smile.

« -Well, I've got to know if I'd be tasty enough to be eaten, duh ! » Zofia laughed back. « How else am I supposed to know how I taste ? »

« -Then... What do you taste like ? »

« -I don't know. Like a Zofia, I guess. » shrugged the mermaid. « You should try and see what you taste like as well ! Who knows, it could be interesting ! »

Evelyne looked at her own arm. It was such a silly idea... But it was just pure, innocent fun. « -You're... Probably right. » replied the goblin. Once again, the next few hours were bound to be an interesting time...

Two hours passed, as the pair just enjoyed themselves in the creek under the rays of the sun. Zofia had so much to tell, and was just such good company... Evelyne loved it. She had spent most of this time listening to her friend's shenanigans, enjoying the stories and the things she saw fit to tell the goblin about. The small noble tried to share her own experiences and stories as well, but... It proved to be surprisingly difficult. She didn't know how to go about it. It was so rare that someone actually... Listened to her. So, for now... She was content to mostly listen. The goblin didn't really tell her about her plots to try and get her father's key, however. It was likely not something Zofia needed to hear about.

Unfortunately, Evelyne also knew it was time for her to leave. She was only supposed to go to the Orschen residence to apologies, and after so much time spent with Zofia, the goblin feared that her father would suspect that she was probably not actually with the Orschen family.

Zofia was just wrapping up another one of her stories. She had told the small noble about her first encounter with a land dweller, an event that had marked the mermaid when she was a child. « -And THAT was my first encounter with a real bipedal ! It was real cool ! » Zofia said enthusiastically.

« -Well, it certainly left its mark on you... » chuckled Evelyne.

« -I mean, who wouldn't be ? Legs are awesome ! You can do soooo much stuff with them ! » Zofia replied, splashing water around with her tail.

« -I personally do not think legs are something to fuss about so much ! » The goblin protected her face with her arm by reflex, not wanting to get splashed too much.

« -You also don't count, because you HAVE legs, silly ! » Zofia gave a light punch to her friend's shoulder, before both of them laughed in unison.

« -How observant of you ! » chuckled Evelyne, before sighing. The small noble pulled her feet out of the water and got up, grabbing both her socks and her shoes. « Unfortunately, as much as I would enjoy spending more time with you, I am gonna have to excuse myself... »

« -Awww, already ? » whined the mermaid, leaning on the rocks toward her favourite goblin.

« -Already. » nodded Evelyne, visibly not too keen about the situation either. She sat on the rocks and waited a bit, the sun's rays were warm enough that it wouldn't take all too long for her to dry her legs up. « It's almost time for lunch, so I need to head back to the Grimbarth abode as soon as possible. Otherwise, my father might end up wondering where I went... »

« -Awww... Alright... » Zofia said. « Will I at least see you when the leviathans will pass by ? It's reaaaaally awesome ! »

« -Well... » Evelyne hesitated for a few moments, as she started putting her socks back on. « Unfortunately, my father and I have already been invited to observe their passage during a party taking place next week. »

« -Oh... » The mermaid sounded slightly disappointed. Zofia pouted, clearly not liking the idea that she wouldn't be able to show the leviathans to her friend. It was supposed to be her role ! « I would have liked to show you myself... »

« -It does not mean we should not meet again before then. » chuckled Evelyne, as she looked around the creek. « Although, as enjoyable as this place is, I would love to invite you to one of my favourite establishments in the city... I'm sure we could have a wonderful time, there. »

Zofia leaned her head to the side, intrigued by her friend's words. « -Well... That sounds like fun and all, but... Evelyne... » started the mermaid, as she rose her tail from the water and wiggled it left to right. « It might be a bit difficult for me to get anywhere on land with this ! You're nice and all, but I don't really wanna crawl there... »

« -Oh, do not worry about this detail. » nodded the goblin. « I should easily be able to acquire a wheeled chair for you. »

« -A what ? » the mermaid questioned, raising an eyebrow.

« -A wheeled chair. » repeated Evelyne, standing up after having put her shoes on. « Sometimes, magic is no use to heal some individuals's injuries. So, people who lost the ability to walk use those chairs in order to keep moving around. »

Zofia blinked a few times. The small noble knew getting such a chair would be easy. As much as Narka was reputed for its port, the genius of its artificers was not to be left out. The city was the most prolific producer of airships in all of Varendel, and numerous ateliers were present in the city.

« -Woah... » exclaimed the mermaid. « That sounds reaaaally handy. Although, there might be another problem... »

« -... Another problem ? What kind of issue are you afraid about ? » Evelyne asked, confused. The wheeled chairs were quite easy to handle... Was Zofia concerned she wouldn't know how to use it ?

« -Well, problem is, if I stay out of the water for too long, I'm probably gonna die ! » replied Zofia with an embarrassed smile. « Soooo, as nice of you as it could be to want to help me get on land, I doooooon't really think it would end well for me... »

Evelyne stood silent. That was a detail she did not expect in the least. Zofia could breathe outside of water, but she... Couldn't survive out of it for extended periods of time ? It seemed absurd... But she didn't know anything about merfolk anatomy, so...

« -I... I'll try to find a way. » The goblin nodded. Surely, she could find a way around this issue... It was a bit specific, but Evelyne was certain she would be able to find an enchanter that would know of a way to make it possible for Zofia to get on land without risking death.

The mermaid chuckled, as she crawled on the rocks up to her friend's leg, poking her knee with the tip of her finger. « -Bah, it's really nice of you, but don't bother if it's too difficult ! I'm happy to spend time with you in the creek too ! »

« -Well... It will not stop me from trying nonetheless. » replied Evelyne. « When do you think would be a good time to see each other again ? »

« -Hmmm... Let's say in two days, right here ! I promised a friend I would help her collect coral for an outfit she was asked to make, tomorrow... Soooo, I can't see you tomorrow ! »

« -In two days... Understood. » nodded the small noble. « I will be there toward the middle of the afternoon. And hopefully, I will find a solution to help you get on land before then... »

« -Hahaha... Good luck with that ! Byyyyyyye, see you in two days ! » cheerfully replied Zofia.

« -Have a good day, Zofia. » soberly said Evelyne. And on these words, the goblin saluted her friend with a polite curtsy. The mermaid chuckled at the sight, not really one for etiquette as much as the small noble was, before diving back into the creek.

Evelyne then turned heels, wondering if there was an enchanter that could make something allowing a mermaid to stay out of the water for long periods of time. If she was still in Swiftrive, it would have been easy. But in Narka, enchanters were definitely not as numerous... And with the quarantined districts, searching through the city would most certainly prove difficult. Perhaps the Grimbarth knew about a few names and would be able to point their guest to a talented enchanter... And hopefully, they wouldn't be too curious about why the goblin needed to contact one in the first place.

Evelyne walked up the stairs and back to the streets, before heading to the stagecoach of house Grimbarth, still waiting for her. With all that, she still didn't know how she was gonna get her hands on the key to her father's office, either... But at the time being, it wasn't really that important.

The small noble got in and as the carriage started moving, Evelyne looked to the ocean through the window. For now, the most pressing issue would be to explain why she took so long just for an apology.


End file.
